Visionary - Benevolent Dictator
The Benevolent Dictator is a sincere and honest man. He knows he is depriving his people of certain freedoms and that many of them crave liberty. He also knows that people, left to their own devices, only hurt and abuse one another. In this fashion, he sees himself as the lesser of two evils. He brings order and peace to a population that he feels would tear itself apart otherwise with violence and prejudice. His intentions are good, wanting to protect the poor simple folk around him. This villain rules over a population, whether it is a small tribe or a large kingdom. He limits their ability to harm themselves, and, by coincidence, him. He honestly feels that he knows what's best for the citizens he watches over. The Benevolent Dictator is as oppressive as his Power Mad cousin, but is far more paternalistic, domineering, and condescending about it. In his mind, his citizens are mere children who do not know how to take care of themselves, so it falls upon him to protect and care for them. The worst part of this villain, however, is how persuasive he can be. He is a master of propaganda and has his people convinced that they are indeed helpless and doomed without his guidance. His harsh rules ensure that the people are safe and that the land prospers. The common folk are grateful for his benevolent grace and work hard to please him. The Benevolent Dictator is typically adored by those he oppresses. This villain prefers political tools, as opposed to military ones, to keep the population subdued and complacent, whilst controlling and limiting their lives. The people are well-fed and content, which limits their desire to venture beyond the protection of their loving master. In fact, many who live under the protection of the Benevolent Dictator cannot comprehend why anyone would choose to live outside his sphere of influence. The common citizen is perhaps his greatest tool, able to recruit new followers for him and act as willing informants when threats arrive in his territory. After all - it is in the interest of the commoner to make sure life continues unchanged and that nosy outsiders with strange notions of freedom, justice, and liberty only disrupt this fragile existence. Benevolent Dictators can be hard to identify in a region, as no one has the usual complaints that accompany the police states and oppressive regimes of the Power Mad villains. No one complains taxes are too high, or that the militia watches the citizenry too closely and prevents citizens from leaving the community without proper authorization. The disappearance of citizens who may have been causing problems or who asked too many questions is rarely remarked upon. This villain is incredibly hard to assault, for he is surrounded by loyal pawns who act as a human shield. The Benevolent Dictator is content to consolidate his power within his own area, and his people rarely flee to nearby communities to complain about the harsh lives they are leaving. As long as he rules over his beloved children, he may never trouble anyone else. However, stories often begin from the rare dissident fleeing to enlist the aid of heroes to overthrow the gentle tyrant. More commonly, however, the protagonists stumble into this villain's territory by accident, and earn his wrath promoting such nations as freedom and equality. In either case, he is generally best-suited for high-level characters, ones capable of dealing with both the Benevolent Dictator and his sizable force of followers. Benevolent Dictator Variants *'Counter-Insurgent:' This villain blames the problems of society squarely on the shoulders of outsiders who have immigrated into the area. The villain will react brutally towards foreigners because he believes that it is outsiders entering the country are corrupting the nation. *'Reformist:' This villain is an extreme socialist who believes that people as a whole need to be cared for. He believes that individuals who threaten this, through excessive hoarding of wealth or acts of oppression, should be dealt with swiftly. *'Threat of War:' This villain believes that his nation is under the threat of war from a hostile country, and that a preemptive strike is necessary to protect it and his people. Directory Link Back to Visionary.